1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shipping pigs for radiopharmaceuticals that use lead for radiation shielding. In particular, lead shielding is encapsulated and sealed.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Conventional shipping pigs for radiopharmaceuticals include those that use lead for radiation shielding. The lead shielding defines a cavity to accommodate the syringe. Some conventional pigs have a removable, puncture proof, inner liner or a removable sharps container positioned within their cavity to serve as a barrier between the radiopharmaceutical syringe and the lead shielding. Such a barrier prevents contamination of the lead shielding by leaks from the radiopharmaceutical syringe, such leaks are contained by the inner liner or sharps container. A sharps container is known conventionally to be made from a puncture resistant, if not puncture-proof, hard plastic material having a tubular housing that is securable to a tubular cap in a releasable manner. Both the tubular housing and the tubular cap of the sharps container are elongated with their distal ends (to each other) closed and their proximal ends (to each other) open. The sharps container is sized to accommodate inside a syringe.
It would be desirable to provide a radiopharmaceutical pig that encapsulates and seals lead shielding without the need for a removable, puncture-proof liner or a sharps container to protect the lead shielding from contamination caused by leaks from the radiopharmaceutical syringe.